Zdenko Ivanušić
Zdenko Ivanušić is a Croatian contemporary jazz saxophonist and flautist.
Biography
He was born in Zagreb, Croatia on June 25, 1967. His father is a musician who playes the accordion and other instruments popular in Croatian folk music, like the tamburica, and his mother was a teacher. Ivanusic studied classical saxophone at Zagreb Music Academy. In 1992 he joined the Croatian Army Symphonic Wind Orchestra and he left the band after seventeen years in 2009. Through his experience in classical music, jazz, fusion and funk he attains a unique approach in most musical settings, from a symphonic orchestra and chamber ensembles to a big band, saxophone quartet or small band. He leads Donna Lee Saxophone Quartet and his own small bands, which are, besides jazz standards, focused on his original compositions in which polyrhythmic and polytonality is frequently employed, as well as emotional intensity and improvisational clarity.
As the principal alto chair in the Croatian Army Symphonic Wind Orchestra he had a chance to work with many distinguished conductors such as Uroš Lajović, Vjekoslav Šutej, Pavle Dešpalj, Tim Reynish, Nikša Bareza, Miljenko Prohaska, Mladen Tarbuk etc. He has played with the Zagreb Philharmonic, Croatian Radiotelevision Symphonic Orchestra, Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb and Zagreb City Theatre Komedija. Ivanusic was a soloist and the lead alto in HGM Jazz Orchestra Zagreb, under the leadership of Austrian band leader Sigi Feigl, since it was founded in 2002 until 2006. He also collaborates with well-known Croatian musicians such as Zvonimir Bučević Buc (The Bucers), Dudo Vorih, Ladislav Fidri (Super Session All Stars Big Band), Miro Kadoić (Mirokado) and other popular bands. Ivanušić has performed with many distinguished musicians such as Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Don Menza, Bobby Shew, Earl Gardner, Kevin Mahogany, to name a few.
He has released four albums as a bandleader for Zivaldo Records. Ivanušić's fourth album Free Fall, with Zdenko Ivanusic Quartet, was released on November 10, 2009.
Discography
As leader
- Lost in HTML, 2007
- Free Fall, 2009
With Donna Lee Saxophone Quartet
- Four Odd, 2005
- Mellow, 2008
As sideman
With Con Fusion
- Lagano, Lagano (1996)
- Lagano, Lagano...Dvije godine poslije (1998)
With Swing Again
- Prolazi sve...osim sjećanja (2001)
With Big Band HGZ
- Big Band HGZ (1998)
'''With Other Artists
- Bruno Kovačić
- Mile Kekin
- Boa (band)
- Krug
- Kolodvor
- Big Band HRT
- The Soul Heavies
Equipment
Zdenko plays Selmer Mark VI alto and tenor saxophones, Yamaha Custom soprano and Yamaha 211 SII flute, with Ackerman (Ted Klum) 50's Med Chamber (facing 0.78) mouthpiece on alto, Ted Klum FocusTone™ Handcrafted Model (Brass) 8* on tenor and Vandoren V5 S35 on soprano. He uses Vandoren and LaVoz reeds. For recording Ivanusic prefers a Beyerdynamic M-160 ribon microphone.